All hands, abandon ship

5/8/1942

During the May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea the aircraft carrier USS Lexington was hit by Japanese torpedoes. Her crew brought 3 fines under control and enabled the carrier to make 24 knots and resume air operations. Shortly thereafter, a spark ignited fumes from ruptured fuel lines and caused massive fires and secondary explosions. Her captain, Frederick C. Sherman, was forced to abandon ship.